Driving mechanism for talking machines and the like



June 19; 1928. 1,673,847

w. G. SHELTON DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TALKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed April 20, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig". 1.

INVENTOR I By Aliomeys, w figzw June 19, 1928. 1,673,847

W. G. SHELTON DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TALKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed April 20. 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2.

INVENTOR A iiorneys,

Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GENTRY SHELTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Application filed April 20, 1920. Serial No. 375,217.

This invention relates to motor driving mechanisms, especially electrical, for driving the record-carriers or supports of talking machines, or the like, and to a combination of such driving mechanisms and recordcarrier or the like, and aims to provide improvements therein.

The present invention provides a driving mechanism which contains within itself all the elements necessary for driving a recordcarrier in the usual manner, which is preferably made as a portable complete unit, which preferably is made so as to occupy a place on the platform beside the record-carrier, and to require either no openingthrough the platform for any of its working parts, or only a simple hole or slot through which a part may pass and come out in putting the device into and out of place. The driving mechanism is preferably adapted to drive the record-carrier direct, preferably by frietional contact between a driving pulley and the record-carrier, and the record-carrier may be mounted on a simple pivotal connection. The talking machine may be constructed so that no part of the driving mechanism (and its controlling mechanism) is located inside or behind any partition of the talking machine cabinet 01' box, or is so mounted as not to be readily removable from the exterior, from its inside position.

The invention further preferably provides, in combination with the driving mechanism, an automatic switch or controller, which may be operated by a manual move ment of the record-carrier, to admit energy to the motor, and which also is preferably operated to cut off the energy from said motor when the record-carrier is retarded, or stopped, as by manual contact, or by the action of a brake.

The invention further provides a novel combination of a brake and switch operating mechanism wherein a single centrifugal element or set of elements may perform the functions of applying the brake and operating the switch.

The invention further provides a novel centrifugal switch.

The invention further provides a driving mechanism, admitting of the use of a small, high-speed motor, I with a driving pulley mount directly on t e rotor shaft, and contacting directly with the sound record-carrier, and eliminating the use of reduction gearing.

The invention further provides novel and useful combinations and subcombinations, hereinafter more fully set forth.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of one embodiment of the invention, shown in op erative relation to a sound record-carrier of the disk type.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of what is now considered the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a view partially in elevation, and partially in section, of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, the sections being at right angles in the two figures.

Fig- 5 is a detail view, in plan, of the centrifugal weights shown in Figures 3 and 4.

In said drawings, letter A designates the sound record-carrier, or the like, or other driven part, and letter B designates as a whole the driving mechanism. The motor may be of any kind, but is preferably an electric motor, comprising a rotor, as for example, an armature 10, and a stator, as for example, a field 11. The motor may be provided with a casing 13. Energy, as for example a current of electricity, arrives at the motor at the terminal point 15, and leaves at the terminal point 16. Current entering at the terminal 15, passes through the brush to one commutator segment, then through the armature winding, to an opposite segment of the commutator, then out through the brush near the terminal 16, then through the field windings to the part 37 of the switch blade 36, and then out to the other side of the line, when contact is made by the switch blade 36 with the contact piece 39. The rotor, in the embodiment shown, turns on a hollow spindle 18, which has a drive-shaft 20, preferably connected directly thereto. 22 designates a driving pulley, preferably directly connected to the drive-shaft 20, the pulley 22 also preferably driving the record-carrier, preferably through a frictional contact with rim portion thereof,

connected thereto a bracket 27, having a pair of lateral arms thereon, in which are pivoted, at right angles to the axis of the shaft 20, a pair of centrifugal weights 30, the centrifugal weights having arms 32, forked at their ends, extending inwardly toward the axis of rotation, as for example the axis of a shaft 20. 34 designates a part movable along the axis of rotation, adapted to be engaged and moved by the forked ends of the arms 32 of the weights 30. The part 35 preferably directly actuates one of the'elements of the switch, asfor example a blade 36, which may be pivoted at one side of the motor, as indicated at 37, and which may extend across, or approximate to, the axis of rotation, and make and break contact with a contact piece 39. As shown in the presentembodiment, the arrangement of the parts is such that the weight of the centrifugal weights acting through the part 34:, is such as to normally move the blade 36 out of contact with the contact piece 39, and thereby interrupt the flow of energy to the motor.

The motor may be started by twirling the record-carrier A, thereby turning the rotor and drive shaft 20. If the record-carrier is moved with suflicient speed, the centrifugal weights turn on their pivots, the centers'of gravity moving outwardly. The forked ends 32 move the axial part 34:, to allow the blade 36 to, move in contact with the contact piece 39, thereby admitting of the flow of current through the motor, and energizing the same. The speed of the motor will keep the centrifngal weights in the outward position of the centers of gravity. The motor will continue to drive the phonograph until the flow of current to the motor is stopped. The cutting off of the current and stopping of the motor may conveniently be efiected by the action of the automatic brake upon the record-carrier. Such braking action will'stop, or materially slow the rotation of the motor, which will allow the centrifugal weights 30 to move around their pivots inwardly, toward the axis of rotation, and thereby lift the part 34 to move the blade 36 out of contact with the contact piece 39, and thereby cut off the flow of current or energy to the motor.

In order to obtain the best effects with sound records, it is desirable to vary within limitst-he speed of rotation of the recordreaches approximately its normal operating speeds One of the brake parts, as, for example, the disk 52, is preferably connected directly to the drive shaft'20. The disk 52 is operable axially ofthe shaft 20, and is connected thereto by means of the flexible arms 53, weighted, as indicated at 54. 55

designates a friction pad or the like, preferably carried by an arm 56, supported upon a fixed part of the motor, or driving mecha- I11SII1,ELS, for example, in a lug 57 on the motor casing 13. The arm .56 is adjustable.

by means of a screw 58, a spring 59 acting to hold the arni56 against the end of the screw. By turning the screw 58 one way. or

the other, the pressure of the plate 52 011 the.

pad 55, during the running of the motor, may be varied, and thereby vary the running speed of the motor.

In the case of small, high speed electric motors, which are preferable for the driving of talking machines or the like, the brake 50 may be made to perform the function of'a reduction gearing. W'ith sucha high speed motor, having its driving pulley connected directly to a direct driven drive shaft, the speed imparted to-the recordcarrier would be much too great for the production of properly pitched sounds from sound records, as now extensively mader Therefore, by making the brake 50 sufficiently strong, it acts to cut down the speed of the motor to a fraction of its normal speed, and this braking effect-may be adjusted until the speed of rotation of the recordcarrier is such as to enable properly pitched sounds being obtained from sound records thereon. The excess strength of the motor is not objectionable, inasmuch as it enables the motor to start quickly, and conduces. in conjunction with the friction brake, to a constant speed of rotation. i

The driving mechanism. as a whole, is preferably made as a portable unit, adapted to be placed upon the top or platform of the part to be driven. To this end, the motor is conveniently provided with a weighted base, 65. The motor is also preferably pivotally connected to its base, and preferably pressed around its pivot by means of a spring 68 (see Fig. 2). The driving mechanism may thereby be placed close to a rim on a record-carrier, or the like, with the driving pulley in contact with, and spring pressed against, the said rim portion of the record-carrier.

lVhere the drive shaft extends below the base 65, as indicated in Fig. 1, the platform of thedevice which is driven, may be bored or slotted, as indicated at w, to ac commodate the projecting end 20 and the parts carried thereon.

It will be perceived thatthe position of the brake 50 may be reversed with slight alterations .in the structure; and also that the position and direction of action of the centrifugal parts and the blade 36 might be altered with slight change in the construction illustrated.

The parts of the centrifugal brake 1nechanism and the centrifugal switch mechanism 25 may be combined, and an embodiment of such combination, being what is now considered the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, is illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 inclusive.

In said figures, 70, tesignate a. pair of centrifugal weights.preferably somewhat heavier than the weights 30 (Fig. 1),-and pivoted similarly to the weights 30 on the arms 28 of a bracket 27 on the drive shaft 20, by preference. Arms 72 on the weights 70, move the axially movable part 34 for actuating the switch blade 36, or the like. as in the preceding embodiment.

Adjacent the weights 70, is arranged a plate 75,, against which the centrifugal weights 70 are adapted to make frictional contact when the said weights move around their pivots, when their centers of gravity move outward under the action of centrifir gal force. The weights are preferably provided with leather friction pads 76. or the like. The plate is also preferably provided with an. orifice 78, through which the part 34 may move. The friction plate 75 is conveniently attached to a stud 79, conveniently located in a sleeve 80, positioned at one side of the orbit of the weights 70. The stud 79 is preferably movable axially in the sleeve 80, for adjusting the amount of frictional resistance between the parts 70 and 75, and thereby varying the speed of the motor, and means are preferably provided for moving the pin 79 in said sleeve. These means conveniently comprise a cam 82, located. in a recess 83 in the pin 79, and attached to a. shaft Set, journalled in a bushing 85. The shaft 84.- also preferably has a stud 87 projecting through a slot in the stud 79, and into a hole or recess in the sleeve 80. lVith a round pin 79, fitting in a round sleeve 80, the shaft 84 and stud 8T prevent turning of the stud 79 in said sleeve. The shaft 84: is conveniently provided with a thumb piece 89, by which the cam may be turned, and the thumb piece also convenient ly carries a pointer 90, adapted to move over a scale 91, which may be calibrated to correspond with certain speeds of the motor. The operation of the embodiment shown in Figures 2 to at inclusive is closely similar to that of the embodiment shown in Fig. l, and no separate description thereof is necessary.

It will be understood that the inventive ideas herein set forth ma receive other embodiments than those herein specifically illustrated and described.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In combination, a motor, a speed controlled brake carried by said motor controlling the speed thereof, and a speed controlled device also carried by said motor adapted to interruptthe supply of energy to said motor beyond determined speed limits, and a base,said motor having apivotal relation to said base, and said speed controlled parts being pivotally movable with said motor, and means pressing said motor around'its pivot, the whole constituting a self-contained unit.

2. In con'ibination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, centrifugal weights movable therewith, a switch or controller actuated by said weights, and a part having a surface against which said weights are adapted to frictionally contact under the rotation of said shaft.

3. In combination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, centrifugal weights movable therewith, a switch or controller actuated by said weights, and a part having a surface against which said weights are adapted to frictionally contact under the rotation of said shaft, said driving shaft being directly driven by the rotor of said motor, and running through said motor, and having a driving pulley at one side, and said centrifugal weights at the other side.

et. In combination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, centrifugal weights movable therewith, a switch or controller actuated by said weights, and a part having a surface against which said weights are adapted to frictionally contact under the rotation of said shaft, said driving shaft being directly driven by the rotor of said motor, and running through said motor, and having a driving pulley at one side, and said centrifugal weights at the other side, and a base, said motor and associated parts being pivotally connected to said base.

5. In combination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, centrifugal weights actuated thereby, arms on said weights extending inwardly toward the axis of said shaft, an axial switch or controller actuating part movable by said arms, and a part having a surface against whichsaid weights are adapted to frictionally move, said weights and part acting as a brake in the rotation of said shaft.

6. In combination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, centrifugal weights pivoted to move I substantially in line with the .axis of said shaft, arms on said weights extending inwardly toward the axis of said shaft, an axial switch or controller actuating part movable by said arms, and a plate in proximity tosaid weights having a surface at right angles tothe axis of said shaft, against which said weights are adapted, to frictionally move, said weights and plate acting as a brake on the rotation of said shaft.

8. In combination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, centrifugalweights pivoted to move substantially in line with the axis of said" shaft, arms on said weights extendinginwardly toward the axis of said shaft, an axial switch or controller actuating part movable by said arms, and a plate in proximity to said weights, having a surface at right angles to the axis of said shaft, against which said weights are adapted to frictionally move, said weights and plate acting as a brake on the rotation of said shaft, and a stud at one side of the orbitof said weights to which said plate is attached.

9. In combination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, centrifugal weights pivoted to move substantially in line with the axis of said shaft, arms on said weights extending in- Wardly toward the axis of said shaft, an axial switch or controller actuating par-t movable by saidarms, a plate in proximity to said weights, having a surface at right angles to the axis of said shaft, against which said weights are adapted to friction ally move, said weights and plate acting as a brake on the rotation of said shaft, a stud at one side of the orbit of said Weights to which said plate is attached, said stud having movement parallel with the axis of said shaft, and means for moving said stud, whereby the proximity of saidweights and plate may be adjusted.

10. In combination, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, centrifugal weights pivoted to move substantially in line with the axis of saidshaft, arms on said weights extend.- ing inwardly toward the axis of said shaft, an axial switch or controller actuating part movable by said arms, a plate in proximity tosaid weights, having a surface at right angles to the axis of said shaft, against which said weights are adapted to frictionally move, said weights and plate acting as a brake on the rotation of said shaft, a stud on one side of the orbit of said weights, to which said plate isattached, a sleeve in which said stud is movable in-a direction parallel to the axis of said shaft, said sleeve and stud being round, and a cam for moving said stud,said stud and sleeve each having a slot therein, and said cam having a part extending through said slots and preventing said stud from turning in said sleeve.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM GENTRY SHELTON. 

